Automobile serving tray



April 26, -1 H WUEST AUTOMOBILE SERVING TRAY` Filed Sept. 9, 1935 Patented Apr. 26, 1938 AUTOMOBILE SERVING TRAY John Henry Wuest, Louisville, Ky., assignor to National Incar Table Co., Incorporated, Louisville, Ky.

Application September 9, 1935, Serial No. 39,688

4 Claims.

The incident invention pertains to a serving tray organized for being instantly and securely lodged internally of an automobile.

The main object of this invention is to provide 5 means for serving a meal (food) to the seated occupants of an automobile and to dispense with the accepted but objectionable current inconvenience, physical and mental discomfort.

Another object resides inconstructing a serving tray to present ample usable surface for the lodgement of food serving and consuming equipment that can be instantly but securely attached to an automobile without encroaching upon the comfort of the dining occupants.

A further object of this invention is to incorg porate principles and features into automobile serving trays wherein only two or three models are required to provide comfortable and attractive serving facilities in substantially all models, all makes and all ages of automobiles.

A still further object is to construct a thoroughly dependable, durable light weight automobile serving tray at a low cost of manufacture.

, With the foregoing and other objects which will be revealed as a description of the details of construction proceeds and hereinafter claimed,

it must be understood that departure from the selected embodiment of my invention can be indulged without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my folding inner-car, table in extended position, sho-wn principally in full line projection with a small portion cut out to reveal a portion of an underlying member.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation of Fig. 1 at line 2-2.

Fig. 3 is a. perspective view on a reduced scale of the table, shown in Fig. 1, in a partly folded position.

Numerals |0 and indicate the two sections of the top of an automobile serving tray hinged together as a unit by pivots I2, which are lodged in leafs |3, I3, which also serve to form an integral part of and as ribs to reinforce the top sections I0, The top sections are made from rectilinear pieces of sheet metal with each of the parallel edges rolled into rims |0|, |02 extending above and below the parallel forces of said top for the purposes of giving strength and forming sockets for the reception of bolts |4, |4 and I5, I5. The latter are preferably xed in the encompassing rims |02. Bolts |4 are slidably mounted in their corelated sockets and are provided with lugs |42 which project through apertures |03, which serve as stops for the bolts, each of which is urged outwardly by a spring I'I, the inner end-of which contacts fixed pin or bolt I8. These apertures have excessive width so as to allow the bolts a rotative movement, the 5 purposes of which will be dealt with hereinafter.

The leaf-ribs I3 are of a right angle formation with one leg placed against the under or lower surface of the top member and under the 10 extended edges of the sheet that forms the top and roll rims which are assembled into a three ply integral structure at each of the parallel longitudinal sides by spot welding or an equivalent means, indicated by numeral I9. 15

To insure a rigid mounting for the table,` the top when located for use, is dropped below the points of suspension, by means of the goose-neck formation of the ends of the bolts which are also shrouded in a sheath of rubber |6. These necks 20 are fashioned with an abnormal bend 14|, 15|, to provide a clearance and two definite points of contact for a stabilizing mounting. It will be noted that the shanks |4| of the goose-necks are shaped so as to rest on the top of an automobile 25 door sill, not shown but indicated by dotted lines adjacent one of the goose-necks, while the lower protuberance |42 engages the vertical Wall of same. The rotative movements of bolts |4 referred to above, together with the outward pres- 30 sure exerted on each bolt by a spring and the two definite points kof contact result in an equalized firm mounting for each bolt, all of which oooperate for the accomplishment of the objectives adverted at the outset. Bolts I5 can be mounted 35 similarly to I4, however the preferred arrangement is to have one pair rigid and the other adjustable and spring pressed.

The exposed ends of xed'pins |8 each have a rounded nose for entrance into the registering .40

socket or recess 20 of the companion leaf to function as a key to add stability to the extended or open structure.

It will be noted that a non-folding or rigid serving tray can be produced embodying the same 45 Y lx,

lIriade thus avserving tableisV produced for use i t of theoccupants of the drivers seat. 1

, Having thus described my invention, I Wish to be limited only by the appendedclaims; j Y

S'Iclaim':V "1 il i l. Anelongated automobile serving tray, comf prising a. top, formed With rolled rims along the two parallel sides, sockets, b'olts'in saidfsocketsgV springs in said sockets which urge said boltsinto an extended position', right angle reinforcing'ribs,

'one leg disposed perpendicular to said top and Y Y the other legvsecured tosaid top under and withV the edge of said rim.

2; An elongated automobile servingtrav, lcomp'rising-atop,V for-ined Withrolled edges aloligtlfie`V tWo parallel sides'constitutingVV sockets; slidable V3. AnA elongated automobile 1 iolding" `serving tray, comprising tvvo sectionseach having a top,y

one leg disposed perpendicular to said top and the the edge of Vsai'd'rirn.

:2,115,323 f Y, T t Y Y i formed With rolled'edges along thetvvoparallel sides constituting sockets, bolts" in said sockets, springs in said socket-s which urge saidboltsinto an extended position, right angle reinforcing ribs,

other leg secured to said top under and Withthe'` edge of said rim,l hinge bearings disposed insaid Y ribs adjacent the ends of same and pinsin said i Abearings toconstitute hinges forV said sections.' i 4.' An elongated folding automobile serving 10' tray, comprising a` top, formed Wthrolledfre# enforcing rims alongathe two longitudinal para allel sides extending above and below the par- A allel faces of said top| also constitutingsockets,A` Y boltsslidably mounted in said'sockets, springsin `15 Y l said sockets which urge said bolts into an extend-` ed position'iXed bolts mounted inside the inner i ends ofr the sockets ofy/onerleaf and projecting V `for extendingrinto rthe sockets of the companion deaf, rightangle longitudinal reenforcingA ribs; 20 one leg disposed perpendicular to said top and the other leg secured tosaidtop under and with JOHN'HENRY WUESTQY 

